Assessment of tetanus immunity in elderly people over 60 years old in Birjand, Iran, 2018-2019: Short Communication

Tetanus is a neurological disease associated with increased muscle contraction and spasm in patients. The risk and progression of the disease are higher in elderly patients. Numerous elderly people in our country, especially in rural areas, lack tetanus vaccination in childhood. Due to the weakness of the immune system in the elderly, this study aimed to assess the tetanus immunity in the elderly over 60 years old in Birjand, Iran, 2018-2019. In this cross-sectional descriptive study, the level of tetanus antibody was measured in serum samples of 186 individuals from the elderly population of Birjand in 2018-2019. The mean level of tetanus antibody was estimated at 0.355±0.63 IU/ml, showing that 132 (71%) cases lacked immunity against tetanus (95% CI: 0.23-0.36). In the present study, the level of tetanus antibody decreased significantly with aging (P=0.002), and a significant difference was observed between the job and the level of tetanus antibody (P=0.003). The mean level of tetanus antibody increased significantly in individuals with an increase in education level (P=0.018). However, the mean level of tetanus antibody showed no significant difference with the living place (P=0.232) and gender (P=0.872). In this study, more than 70% of the elderly lacked immunity against tetanus, indicating the need for more attention in providing more health services to the elderly.